Folding brush



Dec. 3, 1957 ADALBERTO PLANAS DE AYERBE 2,814,819

FOLDING BRUSH Filed 14:5 :17. 1954 a Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Dec. 3, 1957 ADALBERTO PLANAS DE AYERBE 2,814,819

FOLDING BRUSH Filed May 17, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. fl,PZzuuw oZcAiyeLbe 2 BY FOLDING BRUSH AdalbertoPlan'as de Ayerbe, Barcelona, Spain ApplicafiOIl May 17, 1954, S eriaLNO. 430,312

Claims priority, application Spain-June 26, 1953 2 Claims. (Cl. 15-203) The object of this invention is a folding brush which can be easily carried within a pocket or ladys bag, the brush comprising a mechanism such that the bristles thereof can be either folded onto amember constituting the base or body of the brush or raised and locked in a position at right angles for-brushing purposes. The brush, once closed or folded, is thus very small in bulk.

This mechanism allows the manufacture of folding brushes which occupy a very small space and can be easily carried within the pocket always ready for use. The brush comprises a base member carrying transverse bars which have secured thereto the tufts of bristles and are adapted for rotation to place the bristles either in folded or raised position. Preferably the brush is shaped as a small fiat box which houses the base or body of the brush with the bristles folded, so that when the brush is opened the bristles are raised and made stationary as is the case with a. common brush. After using the brush, the box is closed for. folding the bristles and the brush and operating'mech anism is. concealed within the box.

The mechanism of this brush is characterized in that each transverse row of tufts of bristles is secured to a small bar mounted transversely to the length of the brush and pivoted to the brush base so that 'the'bristles-may assume two positions. In one position the bristles are folded onto the brush base and in the other positionthe bristles are held in a position perpendicular to saidbase. So that the bristles willfill as small a space as possible when'lowered' andalso to allow 'a closer assembly of the bristle-carrying bars, the tufts of bristles are fastened to thetransverse bars. so that they alternate in relation to one another, that is to say, that .the bundles of .one bar are placed in line with the spaces between the tufts of the adjacent bars. Also, the lateral faces of the bars which are exposed when the bristles are in-folded-position are formed with anundulating. or wavy, outline, so that when the brush bristles are folded, the tufts of one bar rest in the hollows of the outline of the adjacent bar, thereby substantially reducing the thicknessof' the brush when folded.

In order to impart: the pivotal movement to the bars carrying. the.v tufts of bristles, the bars are formed with small gudgeons or pins on the ends mounted for rotation in the body of the brush. If the brush is box shaped, the body thereof may be the box itself and the openings for the rotation of the transverse bars may be arranged in the lateral walls of the box. The means utilized to revolve the transverse bars may be various, but I prefer to arrange a sliding plate provided with a rib between the bottom of the box or body of the brush and the transverse bars, the rib acting as a cam which, when the plate slides, moves under the corresponding transverse bar and makes the same revolve thereby raising the bristles. This rib, when under the revolving bar, defines the position thereof and prevents its movement until the sliding plate is moved in the contrary direction.

This sliding plate may be operated by the box lid ice 2; through suitable members, so thatwhen the box is opened the plate is automatically moved in-the' direction suitable for raising the bristles, and when the-boxis closed the'plate moves inthe contrarydi'rection.

Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent from the following detaileddiscussion ofaproferredembodiment OfthCiHVfil'ltlOIl taken together with the accompanying drawings in-whichz Figure 1 showsthe brush half: way to'open position and with the bristles still folded;

Figure 2 shows the brush fully open and with the bristles raised;

Figure 3 is a view from' the-lower side of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an isometric view on a magnifiedscale and partially cut-away, of thebrush halfway to open position, in which, for the sakegof'clearness, only one bar'with the tufts of bristles is shown;

Figure 5 is a similar view 'tothat'of'Figure' 4, the brush being fully open and with the bristles raised;

Figures, 6'and7 'are perspective' vi'ewsof two tuft bars to bemounted in adjacent positions in the brush for obtaining the staggered relation of the tufts;

Figures 8l0 are. fragmentary sectional views showing a tuft bar. and.associatedelementsin folded position, the same bar midway to operative; position, and. again with the bar. in fully operative position;

Figure ll is. a verticallongitudinal section on the.line 11-41 of Figure 5 along the axisof pin 15, showingthe coaction of member 1 6" with the spring. 17"and the notch 20a; and

Figure 12 is a plan detail, and Figure 13 is.a. longitudinal sectional detail on the line 1313 ofFigure 12;

The brush shown as example in the figures comprises a box 1',which maybe closed by fitting; thesame within the lid 2 The box 1'. constitutes the base or body of the brush and has notchesor apertures 20, 20a and 2011 which coact'with springpressed teeth 2-21 and 26' in the box 1 and the inner mechanism so that when the brush is almost fully open, saidteeth'engages one 'said'notch or aperture 20a in the lid and by continuing themovement foropening the box, the inner mechanism isoperated in the direction of raising the bristles 3 as will be described below, thebrush being thus placed in the positionof Figure 2. At:thisainstantanothertooth 26? engages an other notch or aperture Zlleinthe lidandilocksath erboxdn' the open position with 1 the; bristles raised 1 in: order; that the brushmay bfiylllillZGdWlthOllt: the. danger ofbeing closed, Thisisametooth; 26,, wlren-.tha'box-.is closed, one. gages in notch or. aperture 20b tozholdz'the. box imolosed: position.

To attain 3 this movement. of the. bristles 3. so. that 1 thesame-are raised wherrthe, brushis .opened,-1 the-box lgforny, ing-Ether: body .or.' bas e. of.. the.brushv has. at. its lateral .faces: a plurality, oflstops. 18,.and. adjacenttosaid stopsaespec fi pe n s 41 n whi h fit the. g dsepn rl p v t. pins of"& series of'smalltransverse bars 5carryingthe tufts of bristles 3 secured thereto. In Figures 3 'and '4'only one of said bars has been shown in order to clearly show its movement and the elements placed thereunder.

When the brush is in closed position, the bars 5 assume the position shown in Figure 4 and when the brush is opened the bars revolve through degrees about their axis and the bristles 3 are raised assuming the position of the Figures 2 and 5.

So that the brush in folded position may occupy a very small space, the tufts of bristles 3 are fastened to the bars 5 in spaced relation to one another and are further arranged in alternate relation so that the tufts of bristles of each bar 5 face the spaces intermediate the tufts of the adjacent bars as is clearly illustrated in Figures 6 and 7. In this manner, when the bristles are folded, the tufts Qf each said bars fit between the tufts of an adjacent bar. For improving this fitting of the bristles, the upper face of the bars 5 in the folded position of the bristles, as in the Figures 4, 6 and 7, is formed with notches 6 in which are received the tufts of an adjacent bar.

The means utilized for revolving the bars 5 from the position shown in Figure 5 to that of Figure 4 may be various, but I prefer to arrange between the bottom 7 of the box and the bars 5 a plate 8 slidable transversely to the bars and provided with ribs 9 which coact as cams and force the bars 5 to revolve. In the position shown in Figure 4, each said ribs 9 is placed behind the corresponding bar 5 and when the plate 8 slides in the direction of the arrow 10, each rib 9 pushes the corresponding bar 5 and forces the same to revolve about its gudgeons until it engages the stops 18 which restrict its pivotal movement, the bristles thus will be raised to the position shown in Figure 5. In this position the rib 9 lies under the bar 5 and, together with the stop 18, defines the position of such bar which is thus prevented from revolving until the plate 8 is moved in the contrary direction thereby returning the rib 9 to the position of the Figure 4.

The ribs 9 are also provided with notches 11 at the upper face of the corresponding bars 5 to provide spaces into which the bristles of the adjacent bar 5 may be folded.

Also movement of the plate 8 may be caused in various manners, but I prefer to connect the plate 8, through a pivot 12, in hinged relation to a swingbar 13 arranged for oscillation on a pin 14 and articulated at 15 with a member 16 which can slide with respect to the bottom 7 of the box. This sliding member 16 carries at its end lower portion a tooth seen at 22 in Figure 11 which is pressed down by the spring 17, which tooth by passing through an opening at the bottom of the box may engage notch or hole 20 of the lid 2.

From Figures 4, 5 and 11, it is seen that the spring 17 is to be normally compressed by lid 21 so that the left end of the spring rests on member 16. The member 16 has a tooth 22 on the lower face thereof and lies in the slot 23 formed on the bottom of box 1 and slightly protrudes therefrom. The spring pressure normally presses the tooth on the adjacent inner surface of lid 2, but when the lid comes near to its fully open position the notch or aperture 20a is engaged at its left edge by the tooth 22 thus drawing it and also member 16 towards the right of the figures. As this movement is accomplished, member 13 is swung clockwise and pushes the plate 8 to the left. The resulting movements in connection with the tuft bars are clearly explained by Figures 8-10.

The reverse movements cause the contrary actions. The right edge of notch or aperture 20a, see Figure 11, first pushes tooth 22 to the left side of notch or aperture 23 thus releasing the tuft bars as may be ascertained from Figures 8-10. Then an increased pressure on the member 1 in the direction of inserting it in the box 2, disengages tooth 22 from the notch or aperture 20a, and the former is allowed to slide on the inner surface of the lid 2. The tufts fall themselves, owing to their own weight, and in case one may remain stuck in open position it is folded when the ensemble 1 comes into the box.

The cut 24 is better shown in Figure 12 and defines the floating tongue 25 having the terminal downwardly faced stop 26 which may be received alternatively by either of the slots 20 and 2012, respectively, in the operative and folded positions of the brush. Of course, the material of the member 1, from which the tongue is cut, is resilient enough to allow the necessary vertical movement of the stop 26.

When opening the brush, when the box 1 reaches a given position, tooth 22 engages the notch 20a in the lid and is pulled by the lid as it is opened. Further, the tooth pulls the part 16 with respect to the bottom 7 in the contrary direction to the arrow 10 in Figure 4 and operates the plate 8 in the direction of the arrow 10 through lever 13, thereby raising the bristles 3 as previously described.

Jhen the bristles reach this raised position, a further tooth or lug 26 engages a corresponding notch 20 in the lid and holds the brush in position so that it cannot be closed inadvertently.

Preferably, the mechanism which operates the plate 8 is covered by a secondary lid 21 which is shown raised in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings.

I claim:

1. A folding brush comprising a flat shallow box, a fiat tubular lid for slidingly receiving said box, a plurality of bars each carrying a plurality of bristle tufts pivoted to the side walls of said shallow box whereby the bristles may be raised or lowered, cam means comprising a plurality of ribs mounted on a slidable plate between said bars and the bottom of said box for rotating said bars to elevate said bristles, said ribs lying between said bars when said bristles are in lowered position and lying beneath said bars when said bristles are in elevated position, and tooth means carried by said box, an aperture in the portion of said lid lying against the bottom of said shallow box in such position that said tooth engages said aperture when said lid has uncovered said plurality of bars, said tooth means being formed as a projection on a block within said box, said block being mounted for limited sliding movement in said shallow box, and a swing-bar means pivoted to said box, to said slidable plate, and to said block whereby said slidable plate is actuated by movement of said tooth upon movement of said lid to extreme open position for moving said cam means to elevate said bristles.

2. The folding brush of claim 1, in which the bottom of said shallow box is formed with a tongue carrying an outwardly extending lug and said lid is provided with two apertures, one to receive said lug when said lid is closed and the other to receive said lug when said lid is open to latch said lid in closed or open position respectively.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 450,042 Schulz Apr. 7, 1891 675,266 Craven May 28, 1901 1,889,182 Rosenberg Nov. 29, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS 571,476 France May 17, 1924 

